Meerkerk Gardens blends rhododendron design with woodland trails

In Greenbank on Whidbey Island, formal rhododendron rooms at Meerkerk Gardens open into second-growth forest, and the bloom cycle starts pushing color through the trees by late March. The 10-acre display garden reads as both a cultivated landscape and a public woodland preserve, with more than 2 miles of trails carrying the original vision far beyond the flower beds.

Start at the gatehouse, then let the garden unfold

The most useful way to visit Meerkerk is to begin at the Welcome Center at the Gatehouse, where the garden’s design language becomes clear right away. Nancy Nordhoff funded the building, and it was dedicated in May 2007 with stonework, carpentry and architectural references to Highgrove House that give the entrance a formal, almost old-world frame before the path loosens into forest.

From there, the named spaces tell the story of who helped build the place. The Front Lawn Area began as an Island County Master Gardener project in 1990, the Hall Garden was the first garden donated by Harold and Rosalee Hall, the Ramsey Rock Garden was planted to show off dwarf rhododendrons and companion plants, and Cherry Tree Alley was installed in 1995.

A garden shaped by a specific idea, not just a collection of plants

Meerkerk was conceived by Ann and Max Meerkerk as a Pacific Northwest-style woodland garden enveloped by a forest preserve. That idea was influenced by Exbury Garden in England, Max Meerkerk’s years in Asia and Washington’s native Rhododendron macrophyllum, which helped anchor the plant palette in a distinctly regional identity. Ann Meerkerk was also active with the Washington Park Arboretum and the American Rhododendron Society, Seattle Chapter.

Over time, the Meerkerks bought 40 acres, and the first five acres became the “Secret Garden,” a miniature arboretum. Ann later bequeathed the property in 1979 to the Seattle Rhododendron Society so it could remain a “peaceful woodland garden” centered on rhododendrons and companion plants.

Why bloom season hits differently here

By late winter, the structure of the garden starts to matter as much as the flowers. The official bloom window runs from late March through early June, and May brings especially strong azalea color. In a place with some 2,000 rhododendrons, that spread of bloom timing means the garden changes week by week instead of peaking all at once.

The setting also makes the color feel larger than the planting beds alone. The 10 acres of display and educational gardens sit inside a 43-acre woodland preserve, so the walk moves from open lawn and curated rock garden into shade, moss, and second-growth trees.

A small staff, a living community role

The stewardship model is what keeps the place viable. The Meerkerk Rhododendron Garden nonprofit was established in 2002, and the garden’s board carries responsibility for the property’s care and future. In 2025, Ron Newberry was the garden operations manager and the only full-time employee.

The garden also functions as a gathering place, not just a walking destination. A Mother’s Day event drew more than 480 people in 2025. Wildlife is part of the experience too, with bees, butterflies, birds, owls, deer and newts moving through the reflecting ponds and woodland edges.

What is changing now

Meerkerk is still being shaped. Planned improvements include a new viewing platform near the nursery that will open sight lines to Saratoga Passage, Baby Island and the Cascade Mountains, plus a covered pavilion honoring longtime board president Don Lee for weddings and programming.

The nursery itself is being refreshed under new manager Caitlin Stanton, with an emphasis on rare and unusual plants.

A Whidbey destination with a clear purpose

Meerkerk Gardens is open daily with seasonal hours on Whidbey Island at 3531 Meerkerk Lane in Greenbank. Admission is $10 for adults, children under 13 are free, and leashed dogs are welcome.